The phrase “eternal
life” is probably the most misunderstood phrase
in all of Scripture. It comes from the Greek
words aionios
zoe, and these Greek words are
translated in the Scriptures as eternal life,
life eternal, or everlasting life. The phrase is
used 45 times in the New Testament, and it has
the same meaning every time that it is used. The
Biblical meaning of this phrase is quite
different from the traditional interpretation.
The traditional interpretation of “eternal life”
assigns it to every believer, and provides the
meaning of living forever. Traditionally,
eternal life is linked with the spirit of man,
but Scriptures link it to the soul of man.
Unfortunately, the great majority of Christians
do not know the difference between the soul and
the spirit. The Scriptures
provide a clear and unmistakable definition of
eternal life in the following passage
in Romans, addressed to Christians and warning
them about the Judgment Seat of Christ: (Rom 2:1-10
KJV) Therefore thou art inexcusable, O
man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for
wherein thou judgest another, thou
condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest
doest the same things. {2} But we are sure
that the judgment of God is according to
truth against them which commit such things.
{3} And thinkest thou this, O man, that
judgest them which do such things, and doest
the same, that thou shalt escape the
judgment of God? {4} Or despisest thou the
riches of his goodness and forbearance and
longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness
of God leadeth thee to repentance? {5} But
after thy hardness and impenitent heart
treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God; {6} Who will render to every
man according to his deeds: {7} To them
who by patient continuance in well doing
seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
{8} But unto them that are contentious, and
do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, {9}
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of
man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and
also of the Gentile; {10} But glory, honour,
and peace, to every man that worketh good,
to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:Verses 6 &
7 provide the simple definition of eternal life.
Eternal life is the reward of “glory and honour
and immortality” that comes to the Christian who
patiently endures in performing good works
(i.e., well doing). The Christian who “worketh
good” will have glory and honour at the Judgment
Seat of Christ, and the person he is at the
rapture (i.e., resurrection) will pass through
the testing fire and continue on into the
millennial reign of Jesus Christ. This is the
meaning of “immortality”. The person who is
immortalized is the one who receives glory and
honor, and his deeds (i.e., his life) are
remembered forever. Christians who arrive at the
Judgment Seat of Christ as liars, gossips,
adulterers or drunkards will have their lives
perish in the testing fire of God. They will
receive “tribulation and anguish” for their evil
works, and they will not inherit eternal life.
The opposite of perishing at the Judgment Seat
of Christ is to inherit eternal life. Eternal
life pertains to the soul of the Christian and
not the spirit. The Christian
must be faithful to “lay hold on eternal life”
in the present life, or he will not have it at
the Judgment Seat of Christ: (1 Tim 6:12 KJV) Fight the good
fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art also called, and hast
professed a good profession before many
witnesses. (1 Tim 6:18-19 KJV) That they do
good, that they be rich in good works, ready
to distribute, willing to communicate; {19}
Laying up in store for themselves a good
foundation against the time to come, that they
may lay
hold on eternal life. The Christian
who follows Jesus and puts him first in his life
will inherit eternal life: (Mat 19:27-29 KJV) Then answered
Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have
forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we
have therefore? {28} And Jesus said unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That ye which have
followed me, in the regeneration when the Son
of man shall sit in the throne of his glory,
ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. {29} And every one
that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or
children, or lands, for my name's sake,
shall receive an hundred fold, and shall
inherit everlasting life. Every Christian
is an heir to eternal life, but he can lose his
inheritance by not following Christ. Many
Christians will fail to inherit eternal life
because they put wealth and riches ahead of
following Jesus Christ: (Mark
10:17-22 KJV) And when he was gone
forth into the way, there came one running,
and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good
Master, what shall I do that I may inherit
eternal life? {18} And Jesus said unto him,
Why callest thou me good? there is none good
but one, that is, God. {19} Thou knowest the
commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not
kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false
witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and
mother. {20} And he answered and said unto
him, Master, all these have I observed from
my youth. {21} Then Jesus beholding him
loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou
lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou
hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven: and come, take up
the cross, and follow me. {22} And he was
sad at that saying, and went away grieved:
for he had great possessions. Even the best
known Scripture in the Bible confirms theconditional nature
of eternal life: (John 3:14-16 KJV) And as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be lifted up: {15} That
whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have eternal life. {16}
For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should
not perish, but have everlasting
life.This brief
passage states twice that believers “should not
perish”, but they might perish. This passage
confirms and restates that the opposite of
perishing is the realization of eternal life. We
have already seen that eternal life is something
the Christian must lay hold on in this life. We have also
seen that eternal life pertains to REWARD at
the Judgment Seat of Christ, and this REWARD
is the receipt of glory, honor and
immortality. The immortality pertains to
the soul of the Christian. The
faithful Christian’s soul (i.e., life) will pass
through the judgment fire and will never be
forgotten. This is what it means to be
immortalized.Summary:
Eternal life pertains to the soul and not the
spirit. Eternal life must be sought after by the
Christian in doing good works. The Christian can
have eternal life abiding in him in the present
age, but it can be lost by falling away from the
faith. The Christian still goes to heaven and he
is still conformed to the image of Jesus Christ,
but he loses his REWARD in the millennial
kingdom of Jesus Christ. Eternal life is related
to the inheritance, and not the destination of
the Christian. The opposite of perishing at the
Judgment Seat of Christ is to realize eternal
life and receive glory, honor and immortality.
Christians must put aside tradition and believe
the Word of God.